The Line Begins To Blur
by 1-800-SHDWRLM
Summary: Based heavily on the song by Nine Inch Nails. Bakura has damned himself to the deepest pits of the Shadow Realm for his past actions. Yugi refuses to let him go, for both their sakes. My first legitimate stab at Kleptoshipping.


**Very short Kleptoshipping. I may do a sequel, if people like it enough.**

"Come on," Yugi chided Bakura gently, stroking his once soft hair that had become matted over the past few days. "Please, Bakura?"

The former Thief King shook his head, not trusting his mouth. If he opened it the truth might fall out. Yugi was not discouraged; Bakura just needed a little more help. They were both sitting on the floor in Yugi's apartment living room, looking out through the floor to ceiling, wall to wall window that made up the east side. The hard wood had become uncomfortable against Yugi's knees, but he didn't complain.

He paused the gentle caress, shifting so he was closer to Bakura. The latter stiffened, surprised that his body was missing the rhythmic touch, until Yugi slowly pulled him closer. Only when his head was resting against Yugi's chest and listening to his quicker heartbeat did he relax.

"That's okay." Sometimes, Bakura thought, Yugi was too quick to forgive. Not that he was complaining. The fragile duelist stayed with him for over a week after he returned to the mortal world, inviting him into his home. Bakura had first suspected he was a replacement for the Pharaoh, who had decided to remain in the Afterlife, but that notion was banished soon enough. Yugi was there for him. Maybe not him alone, but for him nonetheless.

Bakura moved cautiously nearer to Yugi's warmth, closing his eyes. "It's not okay," he rasped. "I'm…" Those words could escape his lips, but 'sorry' wouldn't make it. He hoped that Yugi understood.

Yugi smiled, the action spreading naturally across his mouth, and tightened his embrace around the tomb robber. "Take a bath with me?" Blushing furiously, he quickly stammered out, "I-I mean, not with me, but-"

A low chuckle rumbled up from Bakura's throat and vibrated through his entire body. "I know." For the first time in a long time, he was… content. "I will." He stood up, a little shaky from the hours of sitting and watching the winter sunrise, accepting Yugi's help. Bakura entered the bathroom alone, waiting to close the door until he saw Yugi enter his bedroom.

He turned on the shower, undressing slowly and dropping his clothes on the floor. Stepping into the warm spray, a comfortable sigh flowed from his parted lips and his entire body eased. He picked up Yugi's shampoo, the shadow of a smirk flitting across his lips when he read 'Passion Fruit', and poured some into his hand, wincing as he dragged knots out of his hair.

Yugi knocked on the door. "Come in," he said as loud as he could. There was a rush of cold air, and then the warmth built up again.

"I brought you some pajamas that I bought a couple days ago. When you come out, there's hot chocolate and tea in the kitchen."

"Thank you, kid," Bakura murmured. He could almost feel Yugi's smile. After the second wave of cold air he turned the water off, reaching out for a towel and fluffing through his rejuvenated hair. "You really shouldn't be doing this for me…" he whispered to himself, drying the rest of his body off and getting out of the damp tub. The boy was too nice for his own good, and Bakura got the sudden realization that with his yami gone, he was Yugi's only protector.

The pajamas were dark blue and silky; the former Thief King almost shivered in delight at the feeling of them on his bare skin. He opened the bathroom door and padded out into the hall, following the smell of chocolate to the kitchen. Yugi turned around and looked him over, nodding once. "Which do you want?"

Bakura passed the petite teen, picking up a mug full of chocolate and walking out to the living room. A few minutes of sitting on the floor wouldn't hurt anyone. The sun was almost all the way up; it seemed as despondent as Bakura felt. He welcomed the cold air that seeped into his skin and the way the mug in his hands burned his fingertips. He craved punishment now.

Yugi sat next to him again, wrapping a thick comforter around both of them and staring out of the window. "Are you okay?" Bakura appreciated him omitting the word 'now' but didn't answer. "Make sure not to get sick. I wouldn't want you to be feeling bad."

In a spur of the moment decision that neither of them was sure of the meaning behind, Bakura faced the smaller boy and kissed him. It was short and light and gentle, but conveyed all of the former thief's unspoken feelings. The two watched each other for a few moments, mahogany staring into heliotrope centimeters apart, until Bakura looked away. "Forget it."

"I won't," Yugi replied quickly. "I liked it." He curled into Bakura's side, leaning his head against the tense shoulder as if daring the other man to push him away after that display of affection. "I wanted to ask you something." Bakura made a noncommittal sound. "Why did you accept my offer to live here? I thought you hated me."

Bakura scoffed, setting his chocolate on the floor. "I never hated you. I hated the Pharaoh."

"I'm sorry. We had to stop you."

"I know. I know now."

Yugi reached for the former thief's hand, stroking the rough palm and smiling tenderly. "So it's okay for me to like you, since you don't hate me?"

The old Bakura would have pushed Yugi away, would have beaten him for even suggesting such a thing, and would have sent the poor boy's soul to the Shadow Realm. The new Bakura, the one he was still testing out and found he preferred to the other, tightened his hand around the smaller, softer one. "Sure."


End file.
